Of Promises, Hearts, and Breath
by TheTenderFury
Summary: It's been a year since Ash has seen Mary- Lynnette and he's now able to face her, a "dragon" slain as proof. Now if only he could grow a set and get over his insecurities, especially when Circle Daybreak won't take "no" for an answer.


Disclaimer: I don't own the Night Series. L.J Smith does. I'm just a humble fan who is trying to do it justice.

Of Promise, Hearts, and Breath

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><p>Ash sat in his room at Thierry's mansion. Circle Daybreak had made amazing progress. They had not one, not two, but three of the Wild Powers. If that wasn't progress, he didn't know what was.<p>

Ash had set out what he had planned. He slayed a dragon, just as he said he would. Circle Daybreak had helped out, that was for sure. He knew soon after coming to Circle Daybreak that even if he did keep his promise he wasn't sure he would leave the Daybreakers by themselves.

This was his war as well.

Still being here was like pouring salt into the wound. Here, everyone had their Soulmate with them, alive, well, and _whole_. You had James and Poppy, Thea and Eric, Gillian and David, Rashel and, to Ash's great surprise, Quinn. That was a day he'll never forget. Ash had been working on Daybreak thing only to hear Lupe at the door welcoming someone to the Circle.

Imagine to his surprise to see Quinn there. Ash had thought he had died, there was no way Quinn would be there of his own free will, only to see a beautiful girl with raven black hair beside him.

It wasn't until later did Ash learn that the girl, Rashel the Cat, was Quinn's Soulmate and they had become Daybreakers, along with two others: a girl and a young vampire boy.

"_Wait, so let me get this straight. She's your soulmate and she a vampire hunter," Ash had asked Quinn, who in turn was also surprise to see Ash there at first. _

"_That's about the long and short of it. What about you? What are you doing here, Ash," Quinn asked._

"_Same as you. Welcome to the fold fellow loser," Ash said humorlessly. Quinn just stared._

"_Wait, you have a soulmate? Who's human? When did that happen," Quinn asked._

_With that Ash told him everything about what had happened with his sisters, the case of his aunt's real cause of death, and about his soulmate, Mary- Lynnette Carter. _

_Ash was expecting Quinn to be upset or, in the very least, pissed off at him, but was surprised when the elder said nothing but, "Isn't it hard for you? Being away from her?"_

_Ash couldn't really even begin to describe the feeling because it was like a physical ache as well as emotional, like asking a person if he missed having an arm or something. He and Quinn had been nothing but best friends since. At least he didn't rub it in like James._

And it wasn't just them. Soon they had the Wild Powers: Jezebel and Morgead, Delos and Maggie, and then there was the unusual case of the two shape shifter soulmates Keller and Galen who brought them the Wild Power, Iliana.

Thierry and his soulmate, Hannah also helped with Circle Daybreak, more so then anyone. If Ash ever compared Mary- Lynnette and himself to any other soulmate couple it would be Hannah and Thierry. Thierry lived his life due to a promise made to Hannah centuries ago, and he still hung by that. That was what Ash wanted. Hannah also reminded Ash of Mary- Lynnette in her own strange way, which is why whenever he got the chance he would always talk to Hannah.

Ash looked up at the calendar in his room, only to see the day with the bright red circle had passed. That was the day Mary- Lynnette graduated high school. He had marked it down when she had sent him a letter telling him. The other day he had gotten pictures from his sisters of the graduation.

They all looked the same expect Mary- Lynnette, who looked even more beautiful if that was even possible. It was the same long dark brown hair, the same big blue eyes, and the same girl that he had left a year ago, but still able to take his breath away. The day after the graduation, Ash had moped, upset that he couldn't go to the graduation because he wanted to go back as the day he left. Hannah had come to him with a package and the two of them sat around looking at the photos Rowan, Kestrel, and Jade had sent him of the graduation of everyone.

Finally the day was coming, the day he had to leave Thierry's mansion for Briar Creek. Ash, however, could feel his feet turning into blocks of ice, still debating on going to the town where this all started. What would be the point if Mary- Lynnette had just forgotten him or something? If she really wanted to, Mary- Lynnette could have any boy she wanted when she got out of Briar Creek.

Ash sat around the room only to come from his thoughts by a knock at the door. He was surprised to see Quinn and Thierry himself at the door. When in the room the two got down to business.

"Listen Ash, we know that the day after the next is the day that you have to go back to Mary- Lynnette and your sisters," Thierry said. Ash kept silent, but obliviously he looked confused because Quinn jumped in.

"We're here to wish you luck. The girls wanted to come and say the same, but are a little busy."

Ash was surprised. They were supporting him. Quinn and Thierry were. What flipped and bizarre dimension had he entered?

"Thanks, but I don't know if I'm going," Ash said and with that Rashel, Hannah, and to Ash's surprise, Poppy, all busted into the room with shocked expressions on their faces.

"WHAT," all three girls exclaimed, clearly eavesdropping on the conversation.

"What do you mean you're not going," Hannah cried.

"You know you want to and with Circle Daybreak you've kept you're promise," Rashel started, clearly confused.

"I want to meet this girl. I have so much to talk about with her," Poppy said, copper curls bouncing in irritation. Ash sighed.

"It's been a year since I last saw her and even before I left it was clear she didn't believe I would keep my promise, let alone come back. Who knows if she still wants me when it's clear she could have anyone she wanted," Ash said staring at the ground. Silence met this.

"Ash," Hannah said clearly feeling for him.

"Well either you go get her or we bring her here," a voice said. Everyone looked up to see Thierry wearing an oddly wicked smile.

"That's right. One way or another, you won't be able to put it off," Quinn said joining Thierry in smirking.

"You're her Soulmate. If she's like you at all, she knows the pain of being without her other half," Poppy said joining in, hoping to change Ash's mind. She _really _wanted to meet the girl that got Ash Redfern as a soulmate.

"Besides if she didn't care at all I doubt she would send a letter or let your sisters send pictures to you," Rashel said. Alright they all made a point.

Ash said shaking his head, eyes golden. "Alright I guess I have some more packing to do," Ash said. Everybody nodded, clearly happy that they got through to him. Thierry handed him an envelope, smirk still on his face.

Ash took it and opened it to find a plane ticket to Briar Creek, Organ. The flight left tonight. Ash looked up to see everyone had left but Hannah. Hannah still had a smile on her face. Ash then pulled her into a hug and whispered thank you to her.

Hannah pulled back and said, "No problem, no one should be without their soulmate, believe me, I know. You're stupid to think that she doesn't need you. The pictures were proof enough of that."

Ash nodded and turned to finish packing. Hannah left only run into Thierry.

They looked at each other before sharing a brief kiss, happy that they helped someone with this problem. Heck to them it was been there, done that when it came to Ash and Mary- Lynnette's problem.

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><p>xxxxxxxxxxxBriar Creekxxxxxxxxxxxx<p>

Mary- Lynnette Carter sat on the porch to Murdock farm (minding the huge hole because the sisters were anything but fix-it people) waiting for the sisters to get back from hunting. The stars were beautiful as usual, but Mary- Lynnette was having second thoughts about going to the hill.

In a few weeks, she would start college. She had many letters of acceptance but out of all of them she had chosen Harvard, amazed that she even got into there at all. Still what was really bothering her: in a few days would be the anniversary when Ash had left. Believe her; she had marked down all the monumental moments like when they had met and everything.

'_Geez, I have it bad,'_ Mary- Lynnette thought shaking her head. Still would he even come back? Did he slay a dragon like he said he would? Did he still want her was the question Mary- Lynnette really wanted answered.

Finally today was the day, and Mary- Lynnette couldn't be more worried if she tried.

Out of nowhere came Jade, who for the most part just stared down the road with an excited and anxious expression. Mary- Lynnette was confused but didn't say anything. While Jade stared down the road, Rowan and Kestrel appeared feeling their sister's excitement and their blood sister's confusion.

It wasn't long before the other two joined Jade into the secret smile that bothered Mary- Lynnette to the point of insanity. What the heck did they know that she didn't?

It wasn't hard when Mary- Lynnette to see when she focused on the road to see someone getting out of a very nice car. The person had blonde hair that stood between Jade's silvery- white blonde and Kestrel's dirty blonde. This person had a slim and lean body, but was clearly no push-over. Mary- Lynnette knew that this person had eyes that changed to ever color of the color wheel and then some.

Like a bullet from a gun, Mary- Lynnette flew to the road and threw herself at the person, who caught her.

"Has it seriously only been a year? Feels like it been a millennia," whispered the person that Mary- Lynnette was holding onto for dear life, which was good because the boy that held her was the same way.

Mary- Lynnette just laughed and pulled back. Ash and Mary- Lynnette just stared at each other clearly starved from not seeing each other for a year.

"Your back," Mary- Lynnette said, trying not to cry or anything stupid like that, happy that he came back.

"I'm back," Ash said giving more concrete to this. He stopped for a minute before smiling and said, "I'm home."

Mary- Lynnette's heart soared. Home, he called being with her was home. With that Mary- Lynnette pulled Ash into a kiss. Sparks flew at the contact and Mary- Lynnette was trying to think why he left in the first place.

"Hmmmm" Someone said, clearing their throat. Ash and Mary- Lynnette broke their kiss to see the sisters and Mark, Mary- Lynnette's brother, all standing a little ways away from them. The sisters had smug but happy faces on, while Mark's was shocked and disgusted.

"Welcome back, Ash," Rowan said, stepping forward to give her brother a hug. Kestrel and Jade did the same, all clearly happy to see Ash. Mark, however, was another story.

"AH! I'M BLIND," Mark exclaimed. Mary- Lynnette then blushed.

"Oh please, like watching you and Jade suck face is fun for everyone, Mark," Mary- Lynnette said sarcastically. Mark and Jade blushed, while Rowan and Kestrel nodded agreeing with Mary-Lynnette. Ash chuckled while encircling his arms around Mary-Lynnette's slim waist, clearly amused by the siblings. With that the settled the group walked to the house to talk and to catch up.

"Wait, so you joined Circle Daybreak and everything, and you weren't just pulling our legs," Kestrel said after they had all finally made it to the house, and Ash had told them everything. Ash nodded and for the most part everyone had questions till finally everyone had decided to call it a night.

Everyone that is except for Mary- Lynnette who felt that now was as good a time as ever to go to the hill, if only just to think.

Little did Mary-Lynnette know Ash wasn't far behind her as they walked to the hill. Mary- Lynnette really didn't even notice till she got to the hill only to see Ash following her. For a few minutes they did nothing but stare at each other, afraid that if they blinked the other would disappear. Finally, Ash took the steps so that he was mere inches away.

"You're really back. You killed a dragon and you came back," Mary- Lynnette said almost to herself. Still Ash just smiled at this before nodding.

"I did it for you," he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Ash, however, was struck dumb when he felt Mary- Lynnette's hand on his cheek. Leaning into the touch spoke volumes to each other. Mary- Lynnette's hand moved from his cheek and begin tracing Ash face with a feather light touch, as if not to scare him.

Ash pulled Mary- Lynnette close so that she was flush against him. Mary- Lynnette had momentarily stopped her journey with this only to resume tracing his lips. Feeling more then a little daring Mary- Lynnette poked her finger into his mouth to feel his teeth, more specific his fangs, which had come out. Sliding her finger along the fang was weird to say the least, but Mary- Lynnette loved Ash's reaction, who was currently looking at her with nothing but fascination and love.

Mary- Lynnette pulled back her finger only to be pulled into a kiss. Shocked at first, Mary- Lynnette soon pulled herself together and began to match Ash in the battle of dominance. When Ash deepened the kiss, Mary- Lynnette was over come by the shocks of the soulmate principal, she didn't notice Ash lowering them to the ground.

With her lungs burning for oxygen, Mary- Lynnette broke the kiss, cursing her human lungs only to be surprised to feel the grass around her. Looking around Mary- Lynnette was stuck dumb only to be brought back by Ash chuckling softly besides her.

"Oh you're good," Mary- Lynnette said to Ash, still trying to figure out how he did that. Ash laughed, pulling Mary- Lynnette to him lying down and watching the stars. With that the two laid on the ground pointing out the constellations and watching the shooting stars shoot across the August night sky.

Mary- Lynnette fell asleep first after pointing out as many constellations that she could (Ash was happy to see that she had learned more).

After an hour, Mary- Lynnette woke up to see herself curled around Ash, his hand playing with her hair as he held her beside him. Ash watched the sky, keeping a silent watch on Mary-Lynnette, not knowing she was up. Mary-Lynnette watched him, in aware that other than his attitude, there really much of a difference. She had thought Circle Daybreak had done that, his personality, but his sisters said otherwise.

Ash's change of heart and mind came from her and her influence, that they noticed it when he first came to Briar Creek and met her.

She was happy, she knew it, but Mary- Lynnette couldn't help the feeling that this was temporary, this happiness. Something was coming, something huge, apocalyptic, and bigger than anything the Night World had ever seen. She had seen it in Rowen, Jade, and Kestrel's faces. It was just proven as she watched Ash, who seemed to be somewhere else.

"You're leaving again, aren't you," Mary- Lynnette said into Ash's shirt as she buried her head into his chest, not wanting to look at those beautiful, expressive eyes and see the truth.

Mary-Lynnette felt Ash shift as he pulled them into a sitting position. Mary- Lynnette opened her eyes to see that Ash had had his knees raised and bended as he spread them to make room and set her in the space that his legs had left. She was caged between his legs as he looked down at her, his face expressionless. Mary-Lynnette realized with a start the reason he did that was so that she would hear him, loud and clear and that she couldn't get away from him when what he told her hit home.

"Yes, there's a good chance I will have to leave again," Ash said, not sugar coating words.

Mary-Lynnette clamped her eyes shut, not wanting tears to escape, not wanting him to see her cry, not wanting him to see how much his not being there affected her.

Mary-Lynnette's heart stopped as she felt Ash's hands cup her face like it was glass, fragile, delicate, and beautiful. If there was anything Ash made her feel it was cherished.

"Mary- Lynnette, look at me," Ash's voice, said like velvet on rocks, rough, gentle, and musical. This was hard for him too, whether it was her reaction or what he wanted to tell or ask her, Mary-Lynnette couldn't tell.

Nevertheless, Mary-Lynnette opened her eyes to see Ash's eyes the color of the ocean after a storm. Mary-Lynnette stopped breathing, he was serious. Dead serious.

"I didn't want you involved. I wanted to keep you way from this as much as possible but that was stupid. Whatever happens now will not only knock the Night World out of order, your world will take a shake too and I'm sorry about that," Ash said.

Mary- Lynnette didn't say anything. Whatever she had guessed, it was bad, bad enough that Ash was scared. Not for himself, a denizen of the dark, but for her, the human that this was never suppose to touch.

"So when I leave, I want you to come with me, back to Circle Daybreak. I'm going to talk about it with my sisters and Mark and see if I can get them to come, because I won't leave my sisters and you won't leave your brother but if it comes down to it, that's it's just you and me, will you come with me," Ash said, his eyes never leaving hers.

Mary-Lynnette said nothing for a minute, weighting her options. Leaving Mark, Jade, Kestrel, and Rowan behind and following him to the end of the world, if she had to, or letting him leave, him have something terrible happen to him, and for her to feel the ache in her soul like someone had ripped out everything that made her _her_.

Looking him in the eyes, his eyes the color of violets, she made sure he heard her when she told him this.

"Yes, I would go with you," Mary- Lynnette said, her face determined and sincere. Ash smiled a small smile and wrapped his arms around her chest, a hand on her heartbeat as he buried his face into her hair. Mary-Lynnette brought her head down to rest in the crook of his elbow as her fingers lightly skimmed his arms. This was heaven even if it was only for a little while.

With a start, Mary- Lynnette looked to see that the sun was raising slowly, lightly the hill and the two sat as they watched the sun as it dawned on something bigger than just the start of a new day.

Soon Ash and Mary-Lynnette started walking down to the Murdock farm, hands entwined. Suddenly Ash started laughing. Mary-Lynnette looked at him, a questioning look on her face.

"It's nothing but if you had said no, you would have a lot more people to deal with. There are several girls at Circle Daybreak that are dying to me you. They keep wondering how you got me as a soulmate and haven't tried to kill me," Ash said, laughing. Mary-Lynnette shrugged her shoulders.

"If I told them it wasn't easy not to, what would they say," May-Lynnette asked, genuinely curious. Ash grimaced at her question.

"They would possible love you till the end of time, seriously," Ash said thinking of Poppy jumping up and down while Rashel patted her back as a job well done.

"Well then, bring them on," Mary-Lynnette said, her smirk deadly and beautiful, ready for a challenge.


End file.
